I gained two pounds this month...

Francl27

I still want to lose a few pounds but been mostly trying to eat at maintenance the last couple months, because I've just been so hungry. With the numbers I got, I was expecting to gain a pound this month... but it looks like I've gained closer to 2, which means I need to adjust my calories down by 100... and really try to keep a deficit again so I can actually lose those 4 pounds.

How am I supposed to do that considering I couldn't even stick to my goal of 2100 in the first place? Ugh. I'm just so hungry 2 weeks a month. It's just so disheartening... it was relatively easy to lose, but now I'm just hungry all the time.

And I know... maintenance is a range. I get that. I actually gained 5 pounds total this month, but 3 were water weight. My lowest weight is typically one week after my period ends (so I guess technically in 5 days, so I could lose a bit more), then I plateau and gain 3-4 pounds until the next one... Those 2 added pounds are from my lowest weight from last month, so I know it's 'real' weight gain (sure, some of it could be muscle, I do some heavy weight lifting, but I'm sorta doubtful, even though I don't really look fatter).

How do you do it? It's the cravings and hormonal hungers that do me in every single time.

JagerLewis

Try drinking more water if you're not doing that already, or kick up your workouts a notch or two! Good luck!

queenliz99

Hide the scale from yourself

Francl27

My workouts are definitely more intense than they were before too!

I can't hide the scale, it's the first step of denial for me. I only weigh myself the week after my period though, pretty much, as I know it's pointless the rest of the time.

TavistockToad

what are your macros for your 2100 cals?

queenliz99

Yea, but i've read all your encouraging advice and I think you need to be nice to yourself. Sometimes the scale can be mean and it really doesn't tell the whole story. I understand how that thing keeps us accountable but maybe the scale it just here on earth to drive us all crazy as well.

Francl27

TavistockToad wrote: »

what are your macros for your 2100 cals?

Typically I eat over 120g of protein, 60-70g of fat, and the rest in carbs. I'm trying to increase my fat, and I track my fiber too.

Slacker16

How often do you weigh yourself? 2 pounds isn't even a kilo. Unless you weigh regularly and noticed an overall upward trend it could be normal fluctuation.

That being said, more fat should help with you feeling hungry so often. Try to add more fat to meals that have lots of fiber, that might help keep you full.

ahoy_m8

OP said she weighs monthly after TOM, which is a good strategy for those with a pronounced pattern of water retention. This doesn't answer your "how do you do it" question, but here is another approach to scale weight.

I weigh every day but only look at the 28-day trailing average. That encompasses a whole cycle for me, so on any given day the average includes my last ovulation weight spike, TOM water weight, etc. Moreover, it is a smooth line depicting a trend. When my trendline says I've gained 2 lb, I don't question how much is water weight, because every 28-days will roughly average to about the same amount of water weight. It also prevents my getting discouraged by spurious scale weight spikes (after a high sodium day, e.g.). It takes me about 3 months on maintenance to register a 2 pound increase or decrease in the trendline. Weighing every day keeps me mindful on maintenance. When I skip weighing, it's only a matter of time before I slip on other things.

The cravings you asked about are tougher to address. I think mine are mostly mental/emotional, but can be related to nutritional deficits, too. E.g. I've read women often crave magnesium-rich foods in TOM--chocolate but also almonds, seeds, spinach. I take a mag supplement on those days. Does it help? It's probably all in my head, but it seems to. Giving into carb cravings begets more carb craving, of course, so it's best just not to get on that train. A bunch of high-fat, high-fiber almonds totally satisfies my sugar cravings (without sugar). Gotta count those, though. www.nutritiondata.com will show you your whole micronutrient breakdown for a day or meal. You can analyze recipes, too.

Good luck!

ahoy_m8

P.S. Significantly increasing the weight you lift also increases muscular water retention. It's temporary.

cwolfman13

Are you sure you actually gained two pounds? I can be plus or minus 2 Lbs on any given day...or more. I would think two actual pounds would be difficult to actually see on the scale without a good number of data points to analyze.

Francl27

Well I only lose weight the week after my period, so that's always my comparison point (typically one week after my period, which arguably is in 5 days).

deana727

OP, from the very quick glance at your diary, you're more likely someone I'd take advice from than give advice to. That said, I agree with the approach of adding more fat.

I was plateaued (said the scale) for weeks which was annoying since I was on day 60-something of a 90 day program and kicking its a*. But I'm also between jobs, laid off after 13 years just a couple months ago. So I know despite trying to focus on making this a positive thing, my stress is beating up my hormone regulation.

So I research with all my free time...I find myself doing the things that my decade younger self would have found totally irresponsible like adding coconut oil or butter to my coffee in the morning. On my last grocery run I ditched all things (yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese) low-fat in favor of full fat versions. It took me from around 36-40% to over 55% dietary fat intake. That was about 4 pounds ago, but the numbers are moving actually faster than the first 14 so I know I shook things up.

Everyone - especially important for women IMO - sets different macro goals for their needs, but with good habits already in place, we can make small adjustments and keep learning what works. I wouldn't change your protein intake much but you'll be the best judge. The good fats definitely increase the feeling of satiety, and for me clarity. Substituting fat for carb calories during the first half of my day eliminated the stupid hypoglycemia crash I used to get which I used to think was just a fact of life, the hunger was in my head and I needed to overcome it. Which I did, but not by eating the same breakfast over and over and expecting different results. Best of luck!

Francl27

My issue is that I need the fiber from carbs too. I've tried the 'eggs and bacon' approach for breakfast and it didn't work at all. Same with meat and veggies... I need some kind of carb. I'm definitely starting to use more full fat things though, and I always mix carbs with protein and/or fat, which seems to help some.

It's really hit and miss though... some weeks are very easy, but the last two weeks before my period, just ugh. It's what made me gain this time, horrible carb cravings and my mom bringing my favorite cookies from France = bad mix.

I've started eating Quest bars again though and it made last week easier, so hopefully it will last (saying this after I finished the kids' ice cream cones from McDonald's, but I still have plenty of calories for dinner, lol).

Tanie98

I still have few pounds to lose but I weigh myself at the end of the month the first thing in the morning before I eat any food or drink anything. I try not to weigh myself throught the day because weight fluctuates . I am usually 4 to 5 pounds heavier by the end of the day. The last few pounds are always hard to shift. Now it seems like I am stuck at 130 and I only lost 0.5 last month Well at least I am not gaining

chouflour

Francl27 wrote: »

I still want to lose a few pounds but been mostly trying to eat at maintenance the last couple months, because I've just been so hungry. With the numbers I got, I was expecting to gain a pound this month... but it looks like I've gained closer to 2, which means I need to adjust my calories down by 100... and really try to keep a deficit again so I can actually lose those 4 pounds.

How am I supposed to do that considering I couldn't even stick to my goal of 2100 in the first place? Ugh. I'm just so hungry 2 weeks a month. It's just so disheartening... it was relatively easy to lose, but now I'm just hungry all the time.

I'm a numbers person. If that's not your kind of thing, feel free to just move on to the next post.

Your 32 day average calories are really 2140 - so you aren't that far off your current goal. You only had 8 days where you went above your target by more than 100 calories. If we take those days out of the calculation, your average intake is 1941. If you want to net adjust your calories down by 100 calories/day, then I'd split the difference. Set your daily intake to 1950 - you're already meeting that on half the days of the month, and you're within 150 calories of that in another third of the month.

1950 calories means that you have an "extra" 3000 calories/month for those days you're just too hungry. I'd dole it out in big chunks. 500 calories is an extra full meal.

How do you do it? It's the cravings and hormonal hungers that do me in every single time.

I run a lot of numbers and bargain with myself. "I have 6 extra 500 calorie blocks to use this month. Do I want to spend one today?" Big chunks mean that I'm more likely to have an extra meal with protein and vegetables than a cookie that turns into 5 cookies that turns into "What, we had cookies?"

In terms of diet-related suggestions...

I understand needing carbs and fiber (low carb and fiber make me decompensate) - but I see a lot of sweet yogurt, gelato, cookies and candy spread through out the month. You seem to have a sweet treat with every meal. That would make me hungry, and when you were losing weight - they seemed fewer and smaller, with generally the same amount of protein/fat in the meal.

I had good luck moving my sweet treats to stuff that had more nutritional value - smoothies, dark chocolate with nuts, fruit (even fruit with a sugary dip/topping), cocoa or hot spiced cider, starchy veg, etc.

Francl27

Yeah I'm going to switch back to plain yogurt... maybe. Berries are so expensive right now, it's a bit annoying, but I can always use jam/nut butter or something. Cookies were special treats, gone now thankfully, and I'm not buying more gelato because it's just too dangerous. The candy is gone too (I didn't have that much though). Typically I have no problem putting them in my days though, it's just a few times a month when hormones kick in that it's much harder.

But I do have a sweet tooth, which is the bane of my existence lol. It's always because of something sweet that I end up going over... So I'm hoping eating Quest bars again is going to help with that. I like fruit but by itself it doesn't fill me up one bit. I love chocolate covered hazelnuts though and those are not too bad, and I don't binge on them... so hopefully all that will be enough.

mitchfergustitus

I weigh myself twice a day, everyday. First thing in the morning before I've had anything to eat or drink, and then before I go to bed. I know that if you're staying hungry, try increasing your vegetable intake. Veggies are low calorie for the most part, are filling, have fiber, and can help curb your appetite. At least it does mine. I am curious to your calorie intake. I understand that I'm trying to lose another 20 lbs but MFP has me at 1400 calories a day. I normally eat somewhere around 1600-1700 but with my exercise, I normally come in under the 1400 mark. I'm curious as to why yours is so much more than mine. Maybe mine is wrong.

deana727

chouflour wrote: »

Your 32 day average calories are really 2140 - so you aren't that far off your current goal. You only had 8 days where you went above your target by more than 100 calories. If we take those days out of the calculation, your average intake is 1941. If you want to net adjust your calories down by 100 calories/day, then I'd split the difference. Set your daily intake to 1950 - you're already meeting that on half the days of the month, and you're within 150 calories of that in another third of the month.

LOL, I run numbers too, thank you for not letting me be the only one who looked that closely into OP's diary. I agree, your habits show someone who doesn't fall so far off that you can't make up for it.

I think your Quest bars will probably help. For my sweet tooth, the coffee or tea with stevia keeps it off my mind, and I add some fat which I think has the most affect. But I also started trying out dessert recipes for things like chocolate cheesecake or pumpkin cookies so I can get the flavors I crave this time of year without the sugar. I'm portioning them out and freezing them so it isn't too easy to access.

chouflour

Yeah, I can be uncomfortably full, and if I eat something sweet enough - not only do I find room for it, but I'm suddenly ravenous, and all I want is more sugar. I'm actually sitting here, full from dinner and thinking about excuses to go have a little dark chocolate.

The Quest bars sound like a good answer to some of your cravings. I can't eat fresh berries (digestive issues) so I use maple syrup or honey on plain yogurt - it's pretty good with adding dried fruit and nuts, too.

shai74

Francl27 wrote: »

My issue is that I need the fiber from carbs too. I've tried the 'eggs and bacon' approach for breakfast and it didn't work at all. Same with meat and veggies... I need some kind of carb. I'm definitely starting to use more full fat things though, and I always mix carbs with protein and/or fat, which seems to help some.

It's really hit and miss though... some weeks are very easy, but the last two weeks before my period, just ugh. It's what made me gain this time, horrible carb cravings and my mom bringing my favorite cookies from France = bad mix.

I've started eating Quest bars again though and it made last week easier, so hopefully it will last (saying this after I finished the kids' ice cream cones from McDonald's, but I still have plenty of calories for dinner, lol).

You need some kind of fibre, but it doesn't have to be from digestible carbs. I make "bread" all the time with psyllium husk and almond meal which has virtually no carbs but off the charts fibre.